During the last couple of months, Saudi Arabia has witnessed many changes — the decision to use the language of force with those who don’t understand and respond to peaceful gestures, the shuffle in key government positions and the appointment of members of the new generation of the royal family to the positions of crown prince and deputy crown prince.
Since the ascension of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to the throne, the Kingdom has taken drastic measures in the greater good of the country and has been sailing through new territories.
It is no secret that people take huge interest in the issue of succession in Saudi Arabia, particularly some western writers and analysts appear to be obsessed with this issue. This subject always generates huge debates in the world. Upon browsing the Internet, one could find hundreds of reports and analyses published by international think tanks and political research institutions discussing this very topic. “Who is next?,” is the question around which many reports are weaved.
The ease with which the web threads surrounding the succession predictions have been untangled was surprising, nevertheless, instilling confidence that the leadership of this country is both resilient and determined to keep the land of the two holy mosques, as it has always been, flourishing and stable.
Last week, we woke up one fine morning to learn about a new and historic shuffle in the government.
The appointment of a new crown prince and his deputy were not the only new developments. The Cabinet has also been reshuffled.
The veteran foreign affairs minister, the engineer of the Saudi foreign policy for decades and the world’s longest-serving foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal has stepped down. Prince Saud gained the trust of all the kings he had served in their respective Cabinets since 1975. He helped them in planning even the minutest details that shaped the contours of the Saudi diplomacy.
Despite having some health issues exacerbated by old age, Prince Saud never backed down or hesitated in representing the Kingdom wherever and whenever need in the best possible way. We are all confident that Adel Al-Jubeir, our ambassador to US and the newly-appointed foreign minister, would continue on the same prudent steps outlined by Prince Saud. He, undoubtedly, has big shoes to fill.
The other exciting change we have seen in the shuffle was moving Adel Fakeih from the Ministry of Labor to the Ministry of Economy and Planning. Due to the remarkable efforts Fakeih has made in reshaping the Ministry of Labor, we are optimistic that he will put back this important ministry on the map of interest once again. Although the Ministry of Economy and Planning should be at the center of any national strategy, its presence is hardly noticed. However, things are set to change for the better.
Now, the most exciting news in the government shuffle, for me at least, was the appointment of Aramco CEO to lead the Ministry of Health. That was truly surprising; an experienced engineer to lead the health sector.
This is could be what the Health Ministry needed all along; the precision of engineering and the discipline of project management Aramco is known for. Khalid Al-Falih is in for a huge challenge. He needs to shake the ministry, dissect it, bring about change, reinstate its vision, and rebuild its strategy. It would be really interesting to see him succeeding in replacing the ministry’s bureaucracy with efficiency, its stiffness with flexibility. We have to face the facts on the ground; the health services in the country are not where they ought to be. On infrastructure level or human capital level, there is a lot to be done.
With the spirit of youth and hopes of a better tomorrow, the Kingdom has just passed a delicate corner in its history. Equipped with confidence, with solidarity between its people and leadership, this country is sure to remain the center of this region, its heart and soul.
